Temptation
by Aki-chan26- AgnosticAngel
Summary: Neji goes to the club with his friends and takes a liking to a certain red-headed dancer. How will it change his life, and how will it affect his future? I suck at summaries, so full one inside! AU universe, highschool setting. Multiple pairings, including NejiGaara, SasuNaru and ShinoKiba. Full list inside. One OC, though she's not paired with anyone. More of a support character
1. The club

**Summary**: Neji has a great life. He has friends, popularity, grades, etc. He's got nothing to complain about. Until he gets bored. So what happens when he and his friends go out to a new club and see that the dancers who perform there happen to be students at their school? Students who never even existed to them before? How will Neji and his friends lives change from the encounter, who will be added to their group, and how Neji's life be affected by a certain red-head? High school may be hard, but it's harder when you fall in love. AU universe and one OC. She's not paired with anyone. More of a 'supporting' character.

**Warnings: **rated T for 'Sensual' dancing, swearing, shonen ai, and whatever else I can come up with.

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! All rights go to the mangakas and the companies that actually own it. I don't. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. I own nothing but the plot, my OC Ruka, and the words on the page!

**Pairings: **(so far, implied and otherwise) NejiGaara, ShinoKiba, SasuNaru, (main 3) LeeSakura, ChojiIno, ItachiKyuubi, and whatever else I decide!

Neji Hyuuga sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had long since blocked out the droning voice of the teacher, choosing instead to stare out the window near his desk. He ignored the quiet chatter of his fellow students and the people around him.

'I'm so bored.' Neji sighed internally and turned away from the window as the teacher finished his lecture, giving them the last 20 minutes to chatter mindlessly amongst themselves. Neji's best friend, Sasuke Uchiha, turned to look at him.

"What's wrong with you today?" He asked. Neji shrugged.

"Just tired I supposed." Sasuke stared at him before his attention was pulled away from the brunette, focusing instead on the group of overtly flirty girls that had gathered near their table. A few of the girls tried almost desperately to get his attention, but his total indifference told them that he was not in the best mood, and they turned back to Sasuke. Neji took a moment to look over at his longtime friend as he was mobbed by their classmates.

Sasuke and Neji had been best friends for years. They were juniors in High School now, and that still hadn't changed. Sasuke was tall (about 5'11), pale, and toned. His jet black, spiky hair and onyx eyes stood out in stark contrast against his skin. He was moody, passionate, proud, hard-headed, and easily angered. However, he was also loyal, trust-worthy, and protective. He would listen if you had a problem and tell you whatever was on his mind. He didn't give a damn if he pissed you off with his opinions. He gave it to you straight.

In a lot of ways he was the complete opposite of his friend. Neji was about Sasuke's height, however, he had moderately long dark brown, nearly black hair and almost white eyes with a hint of lavender in the iris. He was toned, and was one of the few who could match Sasuke in regards to sports, exercise, and the like. They were both extremely competitive in that aspect. Neji was usually more outgoing than Sasuke once you got to know him. He had fierce protective streak over anyone he actually bothered to give a damn over. He was honestly pretty intelligent, insightful, caring, and passionate. Neji and Sasuke shared many of the same interests and hobbies. They watched each others backs and were considered the 'school heart-throbs' by many of their fellow students, male and female alike. Therefore, regardless of what they did, their status in the school was undeniable.

Neji was snapped out of his thoughts as the bell rang, signaling the end of another school day. Kids gathered their things and raced out of the classroom, yelling, gossiping, and laughing as they were finally allowed to go home for the day. Sasuke waited while Neji gathered his things and they both started walking down the already deserted hallway, heading out towards the 'courtyard' to meet up with their friends. They didn't speak as the made their way through the almost silent school, a comfortable silence settling around them.

They exited the school's back doors to find a small group of people already seated around the benches, leaning on the tables, and sprawled in the grass. One of them looked up and smiled at the approaching boys.

"There you are! We were wondering when you two were gonna show up! Thought we were gonna have to send a search party!" The blonde said loudly, practically yelling across the small space, and pushed away from the table to approach the boys. Neji smiled at the blonde.

"Naruto." He said, trying not to outright grin at his friends slightly dramatic exclamation. The blonde, Naruto Uzumaki, smirked, his ocean blue eyes brightening as he grabbed their hands and practically drug them over to the group of kids still lounging around the picnic tables. Neji smiled at his cousin, Hinata, and took note of the other faces in the group.

Sai was sitting at one table reading and ignoring the others. Shino was propped against a tree, head tilted back. Sakura was sitting with Lee, deep in conversation with the boy. He noticed Kyuubi, Naruto's cousin, sitting close to Itachi, Sasuke's aniki*. Ino was sitting with Choji, Shikamaru was slumped over the table next to them. Haku glanced up and smiled at him. TenTen was talking to Hinata, so she didn't notice him.

"So, what'd you guys wanna do today?"

Neji turned to Naruto and glanced around the group, waiting for any suggestions. Sasuke shrugged. Neji turned back to Naruto and smiled slightly.

"You choose today." He said simply. Naruto's face lit up and he smiled, his eyes sparkling.

"Can we go to that new club downtown?" He asked excitedly. Neji looked to their friends for approval. They all nodded, a few looking honestly excited at the prospect. Neji looked back to the boy in front of him.

"Sure. Let's hang out here a bit longer and then we can go get changed. We'll all meet up at the club around 7-ish…?" Naruto smiled and nodded excitedly. As their friends continued their individual conversations, Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji walked over to one of the deserted picnic tables and sat on the top, their feet on the bottom board. Neji glanced around the courtyard.

The grounds were mostly deserted now, with the occasional student or classmate walking towards the exits or towards the parking lot. Nothing really caught his interest. Neji started to turn around when a flash of crimson on the other side of the school caught his eye. He turned around and stared at the source of the color, realizing he dimly knew whoever it was. The other boy disappeared around the edge of the building and Neji turned back to Naruto and Sasuke, already forgetting the crimson haired boy in favor of discussing possible plans for a weekend outing with his friends.

***about 15 minutes later***

Neji glanced at his watch and sighed, standing up. It was already 5:00. Naruto and the others took the hint and left, a few yelling that they would see the others later. Neji and Sasuke made their way towards Sasuke's car, seeing as Neji's was still at the mechanics. As Neji slid into the seat he couldn't help but notice the shocking red of the interior, and was reminded of the boy he had seen earlier.

'Who was he again…? I know him from somewhere…' Neji mused silently, not even noticing the car pull out or the drive to his house. Sasuke dropped him off and told him he'd be back to pick him up at about 6-ish. Neji nodded and picked up his bag, jogging to the front door. He unlocked it, knowing no one was home yet, and made his way up the stairs to his bedroom. Once in he dropped his bag unceremoniously on the floor near his door and made his way to his closet. After about 10 minutes of rifling through drawers and examining the clothes already hanging up he decided on a pair of black, slightly torn jeans, a plain white T-shirt, and a black, snug leather jacket. He pulled on his 'dress' shoes and ran a comb through his hair. He glanced at the clock and realized it was already a quarter to six. Neji grabbed his wallet, his keys, his I.D., his cell, and scribbled a note to his mother, knowing that she would be the first home, that he was out with his friends. He was out the front door and locking up the house as Sasuke pulled up. He smirked and walked over, jumping in the car. Sasuke didn't say a word as he made his way towards downtown.

Neji glanced at his friend, mildly surprised by the other boys silence, but said nothing. He looked instead at what Sasuke had chosen, worried he may have overdressed. Those worries were quelled when Neji took in the low rise black jeans, the dark red tank top, the leather jacket, and the boots. He rolled his eyes and looked out the window, taking in the brilliant gold, vibrant pink, fiery oranges, and deep purple hues and streaks that painted the sky. The colors were surreal. Neji smiled slightly at the breath-taking sight and leaned against the window, suddenly a little tired.

'Oh well,' He thought distantly. 'I guess it'll wear off in a little while.'

They pulled up to the club, Shinobi, and Sasuke cut the engine. He and Neji jumped out and walked over to the group of people crowding the sidewalk. At the sound of their approach Naruto turned around and grinned at them, his blonde hair practically glowing from the streetlights. His blue button up and black jeans looked great.

"Guys! You ready?" He yelled excitedly over the music echoing from the club before them. Everyone nodded and they moved to the door, pulling out their I.D.'s for the bouncer stationed by the door. He nodded and waved them in.

The second they stepped into the club they heard and felt the music blasting through the building. It was packed with teens and adults alike, all of them dancing, grinding, eating, drinking, and enjoying the 'go-wild' atmosphere. You could smell the liquor, the adrenaline, the passion and the lust in the air. There was a bar and some tables off to their right against the far wall, couches and armchairs pushed off to their left in a makeshift sitting area. Against the far wall across from the door was a huge stage, flashing stage lights showing the dancers upon it, and a D.J. stand off to the side. Huge speakers were situated around the room and gave a new meaning to the word 'surround-sound.' Strobe lights flashed, brightly colored beams of light swirling and illuminating the dim room. A disco ball hung from the ceiling, refracting bright pinpoints of light around the club.

So far it was the best club any of them had ever been to.

Naruto laughed and grabbed Sakura and Ino to drag them onto the dance floor. The others quickly melted into the crowd of lust-crazed partiers while Sasuke and Neji made their way towards a quiet corner of the bar.

"Good evening, what can I get you guys today?" The barista, a rather tired looking blonde, asked them happily as they sat down.

"Two beers please." Neji said. She nodded and walked away. Sasuke looked at him and rolled his eyes before turning his attention towards the dance floor. He stared almost longingly into the crowd and Neji followed his line of sight, curious as to what had his friend so focused.

Sasuke's eyes were glued to Naruto as the other boy danced with Sakura and Ino. His hair was shining under the lights and he looked like he was having a fantastic time already. He was laughing and smiling as he and the girls twisted and spun to the rhythm of the music. Neji smirked and cleared his throat. Sasuke's eyes snapped to his face, trance broken. Naji raised an eyebrow and glanced at the energetic blonde before his eyes returned to meet Sasuke's, who blushed slightly and glanced away. Neji rolled his eyes. The barista returned, set their drinks down, and disappeared again. Sasuke picked his up and started to take a drink.

"…If you like him so much why don't you ask him to dance?" Neji said simply. Sasuke choked and spat his drink out, coughing as he looked up at an uninterested Neji.

"Wh-What are you…?" Neji cut him off. "Sasuke, we all know that you two like each other. You guys are just to stupid to notice that you both feel the same. Now enough of the slightly awkward sexual tension and go dance with him. Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky." He winked and took a sip of his drink while Sasuke stared at him, a light blush on his face. After a moment he stood up and, without a word, walked over to Naruto and dragged the boy to the heart of the dance floor. Neji smirked and rolled his eyes.

'Finally. It's gonna be a long night.'

After a few songs and a few more drinks Sasuke come back, towing a grinning Naruto behind him. He sat down next to Neji and pulled Naruto against his side. The boy looked away from the 'couple,' smirked, and looked towards the stage as the rest of their group trooped over to commandeer the couches. He stared at the stage as a flash of color caught his eye. 'Wha…?' Neji thought before a shout brought him back to the present.

"WHOA IS THAT WHO I THINK IT IS!" Naruto yelled, jumping up and staring wide-eyed at the stage. The rest of their friends stopped and turned to look at whatever had the both of them transfixed, and Neji watched as most of his friends starting gaping and staring in disbelief. Neji turned and continued to stare at the stage.

There were three dancers in total, and they were all exceptional. They were moving in perfect sync; twisting, flipping, and flowing with the music. There was a girl on the right with long, shiny black hair, a short red skirt, leggings, and a black tube top. She spun, twirled, and swayed to the music, looking both graceful and seductive at once. From where they were, the boy on the left looked to be moderately tall, with a mop of messy dark brown hair and two vibrant red triangles tattooed on his face. His black tank top and low-rise jeans left little to the imagination. The boy was spinning, flipping, and thrusting to the music with an almost feminine grace. They would be lying if any of them said they weren't at least a little turned on by the brunette's sensual dancing. But even that wasn't what had caught Neji and Naruto's attention. It was the boy in the middle of the stage.

The boy had chin length crimson red hair, alabaster skin, and a thick layer of black eyeliner on. He was lean, average height, but you could tell he was toned. His black tank top and red, skin tight jeans accentuated everything. His spins, thrusts, twirls, flips, and his every move in general were the most arousing things any of the high school students present had ever witnessed. It was an instant turn on. The boy himself was the definition of 'seductive.' Neji found himself staring as the boy finished his routine and bowed with the other two, turning and trooping offstage to screams for an encore.

Sasuke spun around and stared, wide-eyed, at Naruto, who looked just as shocked.

"Who the hell was THAT!" He asked, disbelief coloring his tone. Naruto stared at him.

"Didn't you recognize him! That was Gaara!" The boy sounded incredulous, and Sasuke froze at the sound of the name.

"Are you KIDDING ME! THAT was Gaara!" He practically shouted. Neji looked at Naruto.

"Who?" He asked. Naruto stared at him strangely before sighing.

"Gaara. He's in our year at school. I've known him since we were all in elementary school… He was always pretty quiet, but whoa…" The other boy trailed off. Neji and the others turned and watched as the three dancers made their way through the crowd and over to the bar. A few people came over to talk to them but were waved away.

"…Anyone up for a drink?" Neji asked, not taking his eyes off the redhead. The others nodded and made their way towards the bar, taking seats near the dancers. Neji and Shino sat in the seats closest to the three.

"Ah man! I'm exhausted!" The black haired girl sighed, stretching. The redhead, Gaara, laughed and shoved her.

"Aw c'mon! It's not that bad! Besides, you and I both know you love being on stage." The girl pouted and turned to the brunette.

"Kiba! Tell Gaara I can be tired if I want!" The boy, Kiba, laughed and waved her off. She rolled her eyes and smirked before someone came and tapped her on the shoulder. She looked him over before jumping down and leading him into the crowd. Gaara and Kiba rolled their eyes.

"He's soo not her type!" Kiba complained. Gaara nodded. "Well we can't exactly refuse them. If we're asked to dance, we dance. That's all there is to it." Kiba nodded, looking unhappy. "Well, at least we get to dance!" He said, brightening. Gaara rolled his eyes but smiled. "Yeah, that's true."

Another customer walked over and put a hand on Kiba's shoulder. The brunette smirked and followed the man onto the crowded dance floor. The group watched as Gaara rolled his eyes and finished his drink.

It wasn't that customers didn't want to dance with Gaara. Quite the opposite actually. Gaara, however, had a knack for deflecting the customers if he wasn't in the mood. All the red head had to do was glance at any approaching customers to discourage the unwanted interruptions.

As his friends went off to pacify the partiers, Gaara took the opportunity to just sit back and relax. It had just been one of those days. Nothing had gone right. He'd been late to school, hadn't seen Kiba or Ruka until lunch, and had to sit through the rest of his classes alone because they had gotten early release. He had left school later than usual, was almost late for work, and now had a massive headache.

Just one of those days.

Gaara was snapped from his thoughts by a voice over the loudspeaker.

"Hey, now that things are winding down for the night how about we have one last show from our very talented dancers? What do you guys think? Can we get them up onstage?" The crowd erupted into cheers and shouts. Gaara rolled his eyes, stood up, and made his way through the crowd. Kiba and Ruka broke free and joined him on either side as they made their way towards the stage, jumped up, and took their places. They both looked to Gaara as the music started. He glanced at both of them and nodded subtly.

They stopped thinking and just danced.

Neji and his friends watched as the three dancers lost themselves in the music. They were shocked to say the least. Gaara had been a shock, but Naruto had quickly recognized the other two as fellow students as well. Kids who were low on the totem pole of the high school social system.

Kids who no one really knew existed.

Neji watched Gaara, and his friend Shino watched Kiba. They were both completely focused on the boys onstage, following every twist, flip, and move they made as they went through their routine. After a few minutes the dance ended, and the dancers took a bow and exited the stage for the night. Shino and Neji snapped out of the daze they had been in and turned to look at the others, still looking shocked by the news, no, the EXISTANCE of their fellow students. Naruto sighed quietly.

"Uh, you guys ready to go?" He asked. They all turned to him and nodded slowly, grabbing their things and making their way towards the front of the club. As they walked Neji pulled Naruto back a bit.

"What classes does Gaara have?" he asked simply. Naruto stared at him like he was the most oblivious person in the universe.

"You're kidding me, right?" He asked slowly, a look of utter disbelief still plastered on his face. Neji shook his head. Naruto face-palmed.

"OH MY GOD! And people say I'M stupid!" He groaned. Neji scowled indignantly.

"Hey!"

Naruto stared at him and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"You frigging idiot. Gaara's in ALL OUR CLASSES! He's even in our lunch period. Has been since 5th grade!" At this Neji almost face-palmed. How had he not noticed the red-head before? He sighed as Naruto rolled his eyes, smacked the back of his head, and ran to catch up with Sasuke.

'Well, at least I have something to look forward to on Monday.' He thought to himself as he said his goodbyes and jumped into Sasuke's car.

The ride home was silent, both boys caught up in his own thoughts. When they reached Neji's house they said their goodbyes and Neji made his way into the house, creeping up the stairs and into his room so he didn't wake his family. He sighed, kicked off his shoes, pulled on a tank top, and lay down for the first time all day. He glanced at the clock as he drifted off.

'3:42 a.m.'

He smiled softly and finally fell asleep, thoughts of a certain red-head filling his dreams.

A/N:

*aniki- older/elder brother

and yes, they ARE using fake I.D.'s :D i mean c'mon, they could pull it off :D

So how'd you like it? I was trying to finish some updates for my other stories, couldn't really focus, and decided to watch some anime. My friend had loaned me the box sets for Naruto, so I decided to give it a try. It's actually pretty good, but I HATE Naruto as a character. I'm in love with Sasuke, Gaara, Neji, Shino, Kiba, Kakashi, Iruka, and Itachi for some strange reason though. So I was suddenly inspired and just started writing! This is the longest first chapter I've EVER written! It's 8-9 PAGES long! So yeah!

I hope to finish some new updates soon. Just dealing with some family issues and since some of my other stories have happy/hopeful atmospheres right now I didn't want to screw up the plots with anything angst-y or frustrating or something. Because that's ALL I've written lately. So please forgive my lack of updates.

Anyway, Rate, Review, whatever! Just please tell me if it's worth continuing!


	2. To the Beach!

**Warnings: **rated T for 'Sensual' dancing, swearing, shonen ai, water, Neji's thoughts, and whatever else I can come up with.

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! All rights go to the mangakas and the companies that actually own it. I don't. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. I own nothing but the plot, my OC Ruka, and the words on the page!

**Pairings: **(so far, implied and otherwise) NejiGaara, ShinoKiba, SasuNaru, (main 3) LeeSakura, ChojiIno, ItachiKyuubi, and whatever else I decide!

**AGES!**:

Temari- 21

Kankuro- 19

Gaara- 16

Neji woke up the next morning to the sound of his alarm clock. Scowling, he sat up and jerked it off the nightstand.

8:30 a.m.

He growled quietly in annoyance as he pressed the off button and tossed it back on the nightstand. Groaning, he fell back into the pillows and pulled the covers up, trying to block out the sunlight streaming through the window over his bed. As he started to drift off again the door opened quietly and soft footsteps padded across the floor to his bedside.

"Um…Neji-nii-san… it's, um, it's time for you to get ready… you asked me to wake you up, remember…?" His cousin, Hinata, asked quietly. Neji groaned softly and sat up, pushing the covers off. Hinata looked unsure, worried that she had annoyed her cousin in some way. Neji smiled kindly at her, reassuring her that he wasn't angry.

"Thank you very much Hinata-sama." The girl smiled shyly and quietly walked out. Neji swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, stretching, and sighed as he felt the muscles in his back ease up. Walking over to his dresser, he pulled out a black button-down, a pair of dark blue denim jeans, a pair of white cotton boxers, and a pair of socks before walked into his adjoining bathroom. He grabbed a towel out of the closet, set his clothes on the counter, and turned on the shower. He checked his cell while he waited for the water to heat up. When it was finally warm enough he pulled off his tank top and stepped out of his boxers, throwing them in the hamper in the corner. He stepped into the spray and sighed, relaxing as he allowed the hot water to warm him up. His thick curtain of hair, usually a dark brown, was now black and dripping from the spray. He sighed contentedly and grabbed the shampoo bottle, pouring some into his hand and reaching up to scrub it into his hair. Once he was done he washed out the soap and finished scrubbing himself down with a washcloth and some body wash.

Neji turned the shower off and stepped out, grabbing the towel off the counter and drying himself thoroughly. He wrapped the towel around his waist and pulled another out of the closet, wrapping it around his head so his hair wouldn't drip more water onto the tile. He walked back over to the counter and sighed, towel drying his hair slightly and pulling out his hairbrush, gently working through the tangles until it hung in a soft, damp curtain around his face, tumbling down his shoulders. He pulled out his hairdryer and plugged it in, immediately getting to work drying his hair. After a few minutes he unplugged the device and ran the brush once more through his hair, reaching back to pin it like he always did. He pulled on his shirt, boxers, and jeans quickly, brushing his teeth and grabbing his cell and his socks as he walked back into his bedroom. He pulled on a pair of black tennis shoes and grabbed his keys and his wallet as he headed out the door and downstairs, flipping his phone open.

'12 new messages. 16 text messages. 15 missed calls.'

9:19

Neji swore quietly and jumped the last few steps, already making his way to the front door.

"Um…. Neji-nii-san…aren't you eating breakfast?" Hinata asked quietly, peeking out from the kitchen. Neji smiled kindly and shook his head.

"I'm sorry Hinata-sama, I'm a bit late, so I'll be leaving. Please don't worry about it and tell uncle that I'll call him if anything changes." The girl nodded and smiled sweetly as her cousin's phone rang and he practically ran out of the house. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, the indigo bangs that framed her face swinging, and turned back to the stove.

Neji ran out of the house and across the yard just as Sasuke's car pulled up. Before he could open the door Sasuke shut the car off and stepped out, shaking his head.

"You didn't look at your messages did you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Neji stared at him, confused, until he realized what his friend was wearing.

Sasuke had exchanged his usual jeans and T-shirts for a pair of checkered black and white swim trunks, a black tank top, grey flip-flops, and a pair of black sunglasses. He was also wearing a necklace with alternating black beads and small shells. All in all he looked ready for a day at the beach.

"…I guess I'm changing." Neji said, smiling sheepishly. Sasuke just gave him a _'No shit.'_ look and turned around, already making his way towards the Hyuugas' front door. Neji followed him up the steps and into the foyer, making their way back upstairs to the brunette's room. Hinata peeked out from the kitchen as they trooped back upstairs, but after taking in Sasuke's appearance just smiled softly and went back making breakfast, humming quietly to herself.

Neji walked over to his dresser while Sasuke sat on his bed to wait. After a few minutes of searching Neji finally found a pair of black swim trunks, a long black tank top, his black flip-flops, and his sunglasses. He walked into the bathroom to change and rifled through the drawers until he found a hair tie. He took out his usual hair-piece and put his hair up in a high pony-tail that reached about halfway down his back. Satisfied, Neji grabbed a large towel from the closet as he passed. Grabbing a bag from the cabinet, he threw his towel, sunscreen, and a T-shirt and some shorts he'd left on the counter in and zipped it shut. He walked out and glanced at Sasuke before turning to head back downstairs.

Neji locked the door behind them as he and Sasuke made their way out. Sasuke opened the trunk for the brunette, who threw his bag in and climbed in the passenger seat. Sasuke smirked as he turned the radio on and pulled away from the curb. Neji watched as neighborhood after neighborhood flashed past, eventually giving way to open highway. He didn't worry though. The city they lived in was about an hour away from the coast, so he just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Gaara Sabaku woke up with a massive headache. He groaned and rolled over, flinging a hand out and groping blindly in the hope of shutting off the infernal torture device known as his alarm clock. After a few moments of fruitless searching the red-head finally succeeded in putting an end to the shrill chimes, pulling the blankets tighter around himself in an attempt to block out the sunlight pervading the room. Luck, however, was not on his side.

"Gaara! Wake UP!"

Correction. The universe was not on his side.

'I'd finally gotten to sleep too…damn.' He thought dimly.

Groaning and only semi-conscious, the red-haired boy sat up just as the door to his bedroom was practically thrown open to reveal two very happy, extremely ANNOYING, individuals.

AKA his best friends.

"Gaara! You're up!" His best (male) friend, Kiba Inuzuka, said, smirking good-naturedly. Gaara frowned, taking in their sudden appearance, deciding to ignore Ruka's 'I told you he would be up' rant.

Kiba was wearing a pair of crimson swim trunks, a cerulean blue tank top, and a pair of navy blue flip-flops. He had a pair of sunglasses resting atop his head and one of the shell 'chokers' you get from shops on the boardwalk.

Ruka had on a black lace bikini and a pair of black flats. The sheer, sleeveless cream-colored cover-up she had on reached to about her mid-thigh. Her silky raven hair had been left un-styled and allowed to flow around her face and down her back in shiny black waves. Though she wasn't wearing much, the outfit still succeeded in accentuating her every curve and drew attention to all the right places. She really knew how to work with what she had.

Gaara sighed and tuned back into the conversation just in time to hear his name called. He looked up at Ruka, who was smiling sweetly, not even trying to hide the slightly sadistic glint in her eye.

"Gaara! You need to go get dressed!"

Deciding to play dumb, Gaara just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh no no no! I don't care if Kiba and I have to drag you kicking and screaming, you ARE going to the beach with us! Mk?" She threatened sweetly. Gaara just rolled his eyes and stood up, already making his way to his dresser as his friends closed the door, waiting outside for him to change.

'It's already Saturday…' He thought dimly as he grabbed a pair of black and red checkered swim trunks, a crimson tank top, and a towel from the closet. He threw them on, grabbed a bag, and stuffed the towel, sunscreen, and a book off his shelf in. He snatched a pair of sunglasses off the counter, ran a brush through his sleep-mused crimson locks, and slipped on a pair of black flip-flops. He grabbed his cell phone, wallet, and his I-POD off the dresser as he made his way out.

"That was fast!" Ruka said, smirking. Gaara just mock-glared at her, which she ignored, and followed the two downstairs.

"Kankuro-kun! Temari-chan! We're leaving!" Kiba yelled towards the kitchen. Gaara's siblings poked their heads out.

"Ok then. Gaara, make sure you get in touch with us every now and again. Dinners at 7, and of course Ruka and Kiba will be eating with us." Temari gave them a look that clearly said that nothing she'd said was up for debate. Ruka and Kiba laughed and waved before pulling Gaara out, who nodded politely to his siblings as he went.

Gaara and his siblings looked nothing alike. They had moved here from the desert after their father died, the year Gaara started 5th grade, and were dubbed the 'Sand Siblings' because of where they had lived prior. However, if you didn't know better, you wouldn't think they were related at all. His sister, Temari, was the oldest. She had sandy blonde hair, which she often put up into four spiky ponytails, and dark green eyes. She was average sized, lean, and could be overbearing at times. But she was also a caring older sister.

Kankuro, Gaara's brother, was the middle child. He had spiky brown hair and dark green, almost black, eyes. He was the tallest of the three and often used purple face-paint to make the almost tribal lines that he was rarely seen without. He was a little eccentric at times, but he actually cared a lot about Gaara and Temari. You fucked with them, he'd kick your ass.

Gaara was (of course) the youngest. He was a few inches shorter than the 'average' male his age. His blood red locks long enough to brush his chin. He had light teal-green eyes, which he outlined with a heavy layer of kohl* in an attempt to hide the true extent of his insomnia. Not that anyone else knew that of course. He had alabaster skin and a red kanji tattoo for 'love' (ai) on his forehead above his left eye, his hair was parted to the right in order to see it better.

They didn't really look like siblings at all.

"Gaara! Are you listening?"

Gaara was pulled from his thoughts by Ruka's probing question.

"Ah, sorry. What were you saying?" Ruka rolled her eyes at this but never lost her smile.

"I was asking if you or Kiba wanted to grab something to eat before we get on the road."

"No thanks." He said simply. Ruka stared at him for a moment before shrugging uneasily and climbing into the drivers seat. Kiba had already taken the passenger seat, and Gaara was more than happy to have the whole backseat to himself.

As Ruka pulled away from the curb Kiba turned around and smiled brightly at him.

"So, you wanna try and guess where we're going, or should we just keep it a surprise?" He asked teasingly. Gaara rolled his eyes.

"Eh, I don't really care. I'll find out when we get there anyway. I have patience, unlike _some_ people." The red-head said, smirking slightly.

"Hey! I do too have patience!" Kiba said loudly, pouting.

"Sorry Kiba, but you are the most _impatient _person I know!" Ruka said, laughing. Kiba whirled around to start arguing with her as Gaara pulled out his I-Pod and slipped on his headphones.

Lincoln Park blasting, Gaara turned to stare out the window at the cars and houses flashing past, allowing himself to disappear into the music.

"We're here!"

Gaara jumped slightly and looked up, pulling his headphones out and turning off his I-Pod. Ruka was smiling brightly at him from the front seat.

"C'mon, let's go grab a bite before we hit the beach." She hopped out as Gaara and Kiba followed, locking the car up behind them. The two glanced at each other and shrugged, Kiba rolling his eyes good naturedly, as they followed their friend towards the boardwalk they had parked near. They caught up and fell into step beside the girl, who smiled brightly.

"I used to come here all the time when I was a kid! It sure has changed a lot." She said, staring at all the different shops they had started to pass. Gaara glanced at the small shops and food stands as they walked. He had never spent much time at the beach before he met Ruka and Kiba. He had always preferred his solitude, and had never really made an effort to make friends as a child. He had rarely even left his house. After he met the other two, his entire lifestyle had been turned upside down. Ruka had vehemently refused to let him stay home for any outing the girl decided to plan, and Kiba had been just as persistent. And though he hated to admit it, he was glad they had dragged him around with them.

"Oh! Oh! Let's eat here!" Kiba said loudly, pulling the red-head and the black-haired girl over to a small pizza place on the corner. Kiba ran up to order as the two sat down and waited for the brunette to return. Gaara started out at the beach beyond, filled with tourists and other beach-goers. The water was the clearest blue he'd ever seen, even rivaling the cloudless, 'forget-me-not' blue of the sky above. White sand practically sparkled in the sun, which beat down from overhead. Laughter and shouts echoed in the air, mixing with the crashing of the waves, the cawing of the gulls, and the music from various sources across the beach. Ruka glanced over and smiled quietly at him.

"So what do you think?" Gaara glanced at her for a moment before smiling softly.

"…I think I may not have to kill you both for waking me up."

Ruka blinked, surprised, before smiling her signature thousand watt smile (reserved specially for Kiba and Gaara). Kiba ran over to the two, carrying a large cheese pizza, some plates and cups. Gaara rolled his eyes and reached for a slice as Ruka and Kiba began a scuffle over the soda bottle.

'…maybe today will be fun after all.'

*Author's note*

Ok, I need to apologize for the horrible chapter and the long time between updates! *bows apologetically* I know there's no excuse, but I've been so busy, it's not even funny. I have 5 classes a day due to an online Japanese course I'm taking, honors level homework/papers (math and u.s. history), ROTC, rifle meetings twice a week till 5:30 (I'm captain), and online language coaching twice a week. I barely have time to get online anymore! But that's still no excuse! I've decided to try and write every weekend, so I may only be able to update 1-2 times a month, however, I suppose it's better than nothing!

I am so sorry! I'm a horrible author who can't meet her deadlines! *sits in corner*

Anyway, once again, I apologize for the horrible chapter, and hope everyone will bear with me. I'll try and update again this weekend since I have a 3 day weekend, but I can't guarantee it due to a HUGE U.S. history paper. However, I'll do my best!

Thank you to everyone who faved, followed, or reviewed! You guys made my day every time I got a notification, and gave me the resolve to make time to update!


	3. Great minds think alike?

Mk, so I've decided to stop putting all that stuff up. You guys should get it by now. Warnings and pairings are almost always the same in every chapter, so it doesn't matter anyway! ^^

**Disclaimer:**I own NOTHING but Ruka, THIS story, and the words on the page. All rights go to their original owners. Besides, if I did own Naruto, it would be VERY different. (*cough* and M-rated *cough*) I also do not own ANY of the songs mentioned, of the lyrics!

ALSO! Thank you to everyone who either fav.'d, subscribed, or reviewed! And a HUGE thank you to **dearmantis, **who reviewed after I put up the second chapter! Reading you review really made my day and made me feel a lot better as an author! And it's great to know that people seem to honestly enjoy reading this, and think it worth while to follow/review! As an author, I think that's the ultimate praise! Thanks for motivating me, and I hope everyone who is reading this fic enjoys this chapter!

"Sasuke! Neji! Over here!" An energetic blonde in bright orange swim trunks and a blue tank top waved excitedly at them from across the parking lot as they stepped out of the car. A small group of people stood behind him to wait for the pair. Shikamaru leaning against the shop behind him, Ino and Sakura fussing over each others' hair. Choji was seated on a low concrete wall nearby. Shino was standing in the shade of the building next to Shikamaru. TenTen and Lee smiled brightly at him from beside Naruto. Sai was standing off to the side quietly, looking mildly amused by the blonde's antics. Haku was smiling sweetly at Kyuubi, who seemed to be describing something that had happened earlier to the petite brunette, while Itachi stood near the pair looking both amused and exasperated with the redhead.

Neji and Sasuke walked up to the group and nodded in greeting as the others stood up, with the exception of Shikamaru and Shino, who remained in the shade of the building, and walked over to stand closer to Naruto, the ring leader of this little trip. The blonde smiled happily.

"You guys finally made it! Did you eat yet?" He asked quickly. The two nodded. The drive here had taken longer than planned due to traffic, so they had stopped for lunch about a half hour before. Naruto nodded, satisfied.

"Ok, so now that everyone's here do you want to check out the boardwalk first or head straight to the beach and come back later?" He asked the group at large.

"Oh! Let's check out some of the shops first! Please!?" Sakura asked quickly, hands clasped in front of her in a hopeful, pleading gesture. Ino had assumed the same stance. Naruto glanced around, and after receiving no complaints, nodded. The girls laughed happily and the group set off down the concrete walkway, Ino, Sakura, and Naruto in the lead. Neji glanced around at his friends. Sakura had on a pink and white stripped bikini, pink beach shorts, a white tote bag with her towel and other beach necessities, and a pair of light pink flip flops. She had white sunglasses with dark lenses perched atop her dyed, bubblegum pink hair, and for once there was no mascara or eyeliner to rim her emerald green eyes.

Ino's usual high ponytail was, for the first time in a VERY long time, absent. Instead she had chosen to allow her long blonde hair to flow down her back in soft waves. Her royal blue bikini brought out her eyes, which, at that moment, could have rivaled Naruto's ocean blue. She was carrying a black tote much like Sakura's, and had black and blue striped flip flops on.

Naruto had on bright orange swim trunks, a bright blue tank top, and red flip flops. He had a small red bag shouldered, and a black, woven bracelet circled one his left wrist. The other boys vibrant blue eyes glowed happily as he and the girls laughed about one thing or another.

'My God. I swear, he must be colorblind.' Neji thought, exasperated.

Shikamaru looked bored, as always. He had on plain, forest green swim trunks, a black tank top, and brown sandals. His hair was pulled up in it's usual spiky ponytail, and the silver hoop in his left ear glinted in the sunlight. His towel was tucked under one arm, a pair of sunglasses hung on the front of his shirt.

Choji was walked next to Shikamaru, glancing around curiously as they passed the small shops that lined the walkway. The larger boy was wearing a pair of plain black swim trunks, a dark green tank top, and plain brown flip flops. His brown hair stuck up in its usual, messy fashion. A small gray back pack was slung over his right shoulder.

Shino was walking on the other side of Shikamaru, expressionless as always, his usual pitch-black shades firmly in place. His black swim trunks, black tank top, and black sandals stood out in sharp contrast against his pale skin. His hands were hidden inside the pockets of his swim trunks, and a black, drawstring bag hung over one shoulder.

'…well he looks goth.' Neji thought silently, turning his attention to the remaining four.

Sai and Itachi were walking silently next to each other. Itachi's hair, as always, flowing down his back in midnight black waves. His dark blue tank top held the Uchiha family crest. He had also donned plain white swim trunks and black sandals, his towel tucked under his left arm.

Sai's unruly black hair stood up in all directions, practically defying gravity as usual. Blank black eyes and alabaster skin stood out in stark contrast against his dark blue swim trunks and red tank top, a white tote bag hung against his side.

Haku and Kyuubi were walking a little ways ahead of Neji and Sasuke, still deep in conversation. Neji wondered, vaguely, what could be so interesting, but dismissed the thought. Kyuubi's bright red tank top, red trunks, red sandals, fiery red hair and eyes caused him to practically glow in the sunlight. His pale skin only added to the overall affect of 'Holy shit I'm being blinded.' Rolling his eyes at the redheads ostentatious clothing choice, he glanced at the small brunette beside the walking stop sign.

Haku had been much more conservative in his choice of clothing. He had on a pair of caramel colored swim trunks, a rich brown tank top, and a pair of tan sandals, his beige bag clutched loosely to his side. The other boys hair hung in its usual long, rich brown curtain around his face as he smiled quietly at the red clad disaster beside him.

Neji was broken from his thoughts by Sakura's voice. They had reached a shop about halfway down the shop lined street.

"Oh my God! We HAVE to go in here!" Without waiting for a reply, she and Ino grabbed a surprised Naruto's hand and raced into the small shop, the others rolling their eyes and following the hyper trio in.

After about 20 minutes the group was finally making their way down towards the water to find a spot. Neji had fallen into step beside Sasuke, enjoying the feel of hot, white sand sliding beneath his sandals and the sun shining brightly down, warming the beach even more. The pleasant breeze that blew past them carried the scent of the ocean to them over the sand. Waves crashed rhythmatically against the beach, mixing with the shouts of fellow beach-goers and tourists. Music blasted from farther down the beach and gulls called loudly as the wheeled dizzyingly in the cloudless, 'forget-me-not' blue of the sky above. The ocean sparkled in the sunlight, dazzlingly blue, as though diamonds were scattered across the ever changing surface. Neji watched as surfers up and down the beach either paddled out or rode a wave back towards shore. Small children splashed about in the shallows as the older kids either swam out towards the sandbar or rough housed with their friends. Most of the adults stayed under their umbrellas, preferring to watch their children enjoy their day at the beach, relax, or read.

"This is good!" Naruto's voice brought Neji out of his musings, and he turned to watch as the blonde set his things down on one of the deserted beach chairs that were provided by a hotel up near the boardwalk. They all set their things down before Naruto, Sakura, and Ino raced each other down the beach towards the water. Sasuke, Kyuubi, Haku, Itachi, and Sai followed suit, choosing to walk instead of run. Sai, Choji, Shikamaru, Shino, and Neji were left to their own devices. Shino and Neji grabbed some of the umbrellas (also provided by the oh-so-generous hotel) from nearby and set them up between the chairs to provide much needed shade. Shikamaru had already rid himself of his tank top and reclined in the his chosen beach chair, which was shaped like a lounge chair (seriously, the wood was weather-worn, but soft enough to sleep on!). Sai had brought out his sketchbook, which he leaned against his leg. He Neji watched as the black haired boy began to sketch, talking a moment to marvel at the peaceful, yet focused look that had settled over the usually expressionless visage. It was a rare site indeed, even for his friends. After a moment Neji managed to shift his attention from the other boy to glance at Choji, who was, of course, pulling out a bag of chips.

'…I swear, I don't think he ever leaves home without food.' Neji rolled his eyes good-naturedly and looked at Shino. He was surprised to see the other boys usually blank expression gone, replaced by a shocked look of almost disbelief.

'…What the fuck? Did someone get eaten by a shark or something?' Neji wondered vaguely, turning around to see what in God's name could've surprised the Aburame. When he did, Neji's jaw nearly hit the floor, well sand, below.

There, sitting not 15 feet away, was Gaara Sabaku.

Gaara stared dazedly out at the dazzling blue of the ocean before him. Ruka and Kiba had already headed into the water, with Gaara insisting he would join them after a little while. He had his headphones in, Puppet by Thousand Foot Crutch blasting in his ears and reverberating in his head, blocking out all outside disturbances and thoughts.

_Gonna get this party started_

Gaara watched as Ruka caught his eye and waved happily at him from the water. Gaara nodded in response as she turned away to splash Kiba.

_It's all around me,And I can't wish this away,You so amaze me,You took my monster away,It's all around me,And I can't wish this away,You so amaze me,You took my monster awayand away, and away, and away_

Gaara watched as a child shouted gleefully and ran directly in front of him, a sound unheard by the redhead due to the music that seemed to be playing in his very soul.

_Wake me, c'mon and wake me up now IWant to cut off my strings and break,Loose of your control of me,Cut your strings and be free with me,Wake, and wake me up now I wantTo cut off my strings and break, looseOf your control of me, cut your stringsAnd be free with me_

Gaara glanced up to stare blankly at the never-ending sky above him, watching a gull glide on the breeze in the air above him.

_Everybody, shake your body,Lift your hands, stop frontin',You're just a puppet, [x2]_

Light jade eyes stared blankly at the waves crashing against the beach, the music beating through him like a pulse; like a heartbeat.

_To all the marionettesIf your gonna run, how fast ya gonna run?,And If your gonna jump, how high can you jump?,All you perpetrators be walkin' round frontin',What?, you fakers afraid to stand for somethin'?If you're gonna run, how fast ya gonna run?And if you're gonna jump, how high ya gonna jump?All the perpetrators be walkin' round frontin'Why don't you stand up and break me off somethin'?_

This always happened when he listened to his music. It was like when he danced. He just lost himself in the rhythm. In the lyrics. In himself.

_Ya wanna make it outta sight?,Somebody wanna get live tonight?,We can hit that, flip that, settle the score,'n' ain't nobody rock a crowd like this before,Ya wanna make it outta sight?,Somebody wanna get live tonight?,Like an earthquake, let it shake,Make the floor vibrate, Krutch y'all,Back to set the record straight._

'…I really wish I was onstage right now…' Gaara thought dimly, feeling himself beginning to really fall into the music.

_All y'all people, listen, it's on,Krutch marauders we on a mission,Hittin' ya with the air ammunition,At war with the puppet master, ..I'll bring it on if I had to,Rip it 'n' leave the whole scene shattered,Like, chik, blaow!, what ya think of me now,I'm lettin' my dawgs out,Makin' it loud so hear me shout, what?,We be comin' laced with bass,Hit the place with no trace,When we rock the space,_

He stared blankly at his feet as the beat began to slow, signaling the end of the song was near.

_To all the people still sleepin'_ _[x2]_

The beat died down after a few more moments and silence echoed through his headphones, signaling the song had ended. Gaara's ears rang in the muffled silence and he drew in a deep breath, coming down from the slight, music educed 'high.' He shook his head slightly to help rid himself of the mildly dazed state and yanked his headphones out, allowing the gleeful cacophony of the beach to reach his ears once more, clearing up the last of the stupor the redhead had been in.

"Gaara!" He jerked his head up to look at Ruka and Kiba, who were making their way up the beach, both dripping wet and smiling like idiots. Gaara smirked slightly and jerked his chin up to show he was listening.

"What were you doing?" Ruka asked as they reached him. Kiba looked at him curiously and Gaara mentally face-palmed. Had he been that out of it?

"…I was listening to my I-POD." He replied evenly. Ruka looked surprised before smiling understandingly.

"I know the feeling. I wish we could go to work too." She said comfortingly. Kiba nodded sympathetically. Gaara shrugged, and glanced down, refusing to meet their eyes.

"…I know I shouldn't have, but you guys know better than anyone that sometimes I just have to let go and listen, regardless of were I am." He said quietly, still refusing to meet their eyes, which shared a similar, understanding sadness.

"Yeah, we know man. Don't worry about it, we do it all the time. It just helps." Kiba replied simply, running a hand through his still dripping brown hair. Ruka nodded and suddenly straightened up, holding out a hand.

"C'mon, let's just do what we do best."

Gaara and Kiba stared at her curiously as Ruka grabbed his wrist impatiently and unleashed her thousand watt smile.

"Don't think about it and have fun!"

With that she pulled Gaara down the beach, Kiba laughing as he followed the other two back towards the water below.

*Author's Note*

I apologize for the lack of events in this chapter. However, I hope that some of you noticed the value of this particular update! If you think you know what it is, feel free to **MESSAGE** me! Please don't post what you think in a review and spoil/confuse other people! (believe me, I've had it happen in both fics I've written and fics I've read! It's annoying!)

Anyway! I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! I've been sitting here typing since 9:08. It's now 11:30. I know it's probably not the best (hell, it probably sucks ^^;) however, I'm trying to improve my writing style, so please tell me if I've improved at all!

As always, thank you to everyone for all the support I've been given! IF you don't mind, please review or message me to tell me what you thought! I'd like to improve as much as possible, and love constructive criticism!

Thank you again, and I hope to update again either tomorrow (if I have time) or possibly within the next weekend or two!

Bye!


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